


Roll Call

by mosylu



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, F/M, High School AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:55:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26038276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mosylu/pseuds/mosylu
Summary: On the first day of AP Chem, Caitlin is rescued from the class bully by a kid she's never seen before.Or has she?Written for the Killervibe Week 2020 theme, High School/University
Relationships: Cisco Ramon/Caitlin Snow
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19
Collections: Killervibedaily Events





	Roll Call

Caitlin settled into the first chair on the second row from the windows. Close enough to get the good light, but not in the row where all the daydreamers sat. This was AP chem, this was _important._

The clock at the front of the room said she still had two minutes before the bell. She took out her notebook, opened it up, and spread it smooth on the surface of the desk. A mechanical pencil with lots of lead, a pen just in case, a highlighter. Last of all, her planner, an old-school paper one with clean, crisp pages.

There.

One more year in this school and then she was out. She’d looked into graduating early, but she’d been short a few credits. “Why would you want to do that anyway?” her counselor had chirped. “You’ll miss prom! And spring break! And graduating with all your friends!”

Caitlin had smiled tightly and left her office, knowing there was no way to convince this counselor, with the cheerleading pictures on her walls, that the social aspect of school was nothing but misery to her. The only good school years she’d had were in second and third grade. She’d still been an awkward nerd, but she’d had at least one friend. 

But he’d moved away, and no matter how she tried, she’d never been able to find anyone else she fit with so well. Every other friend seemed to want her to be different. _Don’t be so weird, Caitlin. Why are you always such a know-it-all, Caitlin? God, Caitlin, can’t you act normal for once?_ More of this, less of that, as if she were a piece of marble they had to chip away at until she fit some predetermined shape. 

Only Cisco had ever seen her the way she was and given her his big grin as if to say _Just right._

“Hey, Snow,” a low, leering voice said in her ear.

She stared fixedly at her planner, even though it had blurred in front of her eyes. _Please don’t let him sit next to me,_ she begged whoever was listening. _Please._

How had Tom McClaine gotten in this class anyway?

“You gonna help me with this class, Snow? Huh? You gonna help me? I might make it worth your while.”

The class was filling up. Someone was behind her, something was on her right side. Dread filled up her throat as she realized the seat to her left, next to the window, was still empty, and Tom was going to sit in it.

Then someone - not Tom - slid into that seat. “Hey!” the newcomer said. “Oh my god, hey, how are you? So good to see you! I thought if I saw you anywhere it’d be in this class.”

Tom looked up, a sneer curling his lip. “I don’t know you, man,” he said. “That’s my seat. Get lost.”

“I don’t know you either,” the boy said. “And this is my seat. I was talking to her." 

_Her?_ Caitlin thought. _Does he mean me?_

He tossed his bag on the floor and leaned on his desk, smiling hugely. "What’s new? How you been?”

“I - um - fine,” she said.

She had no idea who he was. He must be new this year. He had golden-tan skin, shoulder-length dark hair, and a grin that spread all the way across his face. That grin nudged something in her memory, but it flitted away before she could grasp it.

She guessed he could be called cute.

She felt sorry for him. Tom was a spiteful bully and this new kid had just painted a target on his own back.

Tom loomed. “Hey, you little asswipe, I said move. That’s my seat.”

“Mmmmm, no, it’s not,” the new boy said. He tipped his head back and grinned at Tom, but there was a different quality to the grin now. A steeliness that said, _I may be smiling but I’m only moving out of this seat when I feel like it and not one moment before._

Caitlin stared at him.

The bell rang, and Dr. McGee came in from the hall. “If you haven’t found a seat yet, do so,” she rapped out in her crisp British accent. When almost everyone had settled in, she glared at Tom. “You. Find a seat.”

“I did,” Tom said, “but he’s sitting in it.”

“Then find another seat,” she said. “Go. We have a lot to cover today.”

When Tom lingered, glaring at the boy, she added, “That seat can be in the office. Your choice.”

Finally, Tom slouched away, and Caitlin let out her breath. She’d probably pay for this later, especially if Tom had decided that she was going to get him through this class. But she would take relief where she could get it.

The new boy leaned over. “Hey, you didn’t really want to sit next to him, did you?” he whispered.

She shook her head, eyes fastened on the teacher as she started passing out the syllabus. 

“Good, because he’s a tool. Trust me, I know one when I see one.”

“Listen,” she said very low, as the rustling of the syllabus filled the room, “thank you for what you did, but you don’t have to keep up the charade.”

His forehead scrunched up. “The charade?”

“It means - ”

“I know what it means,” he said. “I just don’t know why you - unless - ” He cocked his head, and the smile disappeared altogether. “You don’t recognize me, do you?”

Dr. McGee was taking attendance now, writing names down on what looked like a seating chart. If this boy didn’t stop talking, he was going to get them both in trouble. She hissed, “No, I don’t. Would you please leave me alone?”

He sat back, his smile fading. “Fine,” he said. “Got it. Whatever you want.”

Attendance continued down the alphabet, Caitlin half-listened, scanning the syllabus, very aware of the boy to her left and the unreadable expression on his face.

Maybe she’d been a little mean, but the last thing she needed was to get in trouble in this class, and her focus was on getting out of Central City High alive. She’d long ago given up on the whole idea of making friends.

As Dr McGee finished with the Ms and called out a name in the Ps, Caitlin straightened up. She didn’t want to miss her name, like a couple of other kids had. She wanted to make a good impression on this teacher.

“Francisco -”

“Cisco,” the boy called out and Caitlin went rigid with shock.

It couldn’t be.

It _couldn’t_ be.

“Cisco Ramon,” he said firmly. 

But they’d moved away! Eight years ago! To Coast City! She’d cried practically the whole summer. When had they come back? And why?

He glanced at her and gave a little nod, as if to say, _Yes, that’s me._ Then he tilted his head toward the front of the class and raised his brows.

Belatedly, Catlin heard Dr. McGee call out, “Caitlin Snow?” She sounded impatient, as if she’d already said it at least once. 

She whipped her head around. “Here!” she gasped. “I’m here.”

“Hmmmm,” she said, and moved on.

Cheeks flaming, Caitlin looked down at her desk. Then, unable to help herself, she snuck a look at Cisco - Cisco, could it really be him? The little boy who’d been half a head shorter than her, with buzzed hair and dinosaur shirts, who’d gotten beaten up regularly? Could that boy really have transformed into this broad-shouldered, long-haired boy with the confident smirk that faced down Tom McClaine?

He met her gaze and winked.

FINIS 


End file.
